Creation

The Book of Genesis starts when God creates the heavens, earth, and all life. He creates humans in His own Image, then rests. Everything He made is good.

Garden of Eden

God puts Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, depicting a perfect environment and relationship with God, and blesses them to rule the earth and create like He does.

The Rebellion

God gives humans the ability to choose. A serpent tempts them to disobey God and sin contaminates humanity and creation. God prophesies redemption for humans.

The Flood

Humans populate and become exceptionally corrupt. Heartbroken, God floods the whole earth. Noah builds an ark and is spared. God reinstates His covenant with Noah.

Scattering of Nations

People repopulate, create Babylon, and desire a great tower to make themselves famous. God scatters and confuses them with different languages before it is built.
 

Abraham's Covenant

God tells Abraham to go to Canaan and promises him numerous descendants. Abraham overcomes his doubts, believes God, and miraculously has a son with Sarah.

Sodom & Gomorrah

A foreshadowing of future mercy and judgment, God saves Abraham's nephew Lot from the destruction of wicked Sodom and Gomorrah after Abraham intercedes.

Isaac and The Blessing

Still sojourning in Canaan, Abraham's blessing continues through Isaac and God gives him Rebekah as his wife. Isaac has twin sons - Jacob and Esau.

Family Struggles

Jacob steals Esau's birthright and runs for his life. Jacob's uncle Laban cheats him and his jealous wives compete, but all find forgiveness in the end.

Joseph and Egypt

Joseph is hated by his brothers, who sell him into slavery in Egypt, but God uses the situation to save them from famine. God turning evil on its head is the Book of Genesis' overall theme.

OT/NT: Old Testament

SECTION: The Law

TRADITIONAL AUTHOR: Moses

TEN MOST MENTIONED NAMES: Abraham, Jacob, Joseph, God, Laban, Sarah, Isaac, Esau, Abimelech and Benjamin.

SUMMARY:  Canonically, Genesis is the first book of the Holy Bible (1) and the first book of the Old Testament (2). A literal translation of Genesis, "In the beginning," telegraphs what this book offers. As the unparalleled benchmark of Christian perspectives on how it all began, Genesis rolls out the origin of LIFE itself. The all-powerful I AM (3) creates everything out of nothing and establishes His Word (4) as the unmatched authority of all things seen and unseen, of all utterances spoken and unspoken.

The foundation of Genesis is hammered out from chapter 1 through chapter 11. Here, the reader becomes immersed in four main pillars: (a) creation (5), (b) the Fall in the Garden (6), (c) the Great Flood (7) and (d) the Nations. In chapters 1-2, God transforms an empty abyss of cold darkness into a majestic creation of love, beauty and glory. Sadly, Man's sin (8) through disobedience (9) defaces the Creator's perfection;  despair, ruin, and chaos are abundant throughout chapters 3-11.

ABRAM/ABRAHAM

Chapters 12 through 50 show that God's unending love can overcome Man's imperfections and sinfulness. The calling of Abraham (10) is the pivotal moment where God works through one mortal but obedient (11) man for the benefit of all future generations.

ISAAC

Abraham's ultimate test came in Genesis 22, when God ordered him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac (12), as a burnt offering. Abraham was in the process of fulfilling this task when an Angel of the Lord (13) showed up and stopped him. It was at this moment when the Lord told Abraham he would be abundantly blessed and that, through his offspring, all nations on Earth will be blessed. In Genesis 26, God confirms with Isaac the oath He swore to Abraham.

JACOB/ISRAEL

In Genesis 28, the LORD came to Jacob (14) in a dream and transformed his selfish heart to one of servanthood. In Genesis 32, Jacob wrestled with God throughout one night, asking God to bless him. But He did much more than that. God loved Jacob so much that He changed his name to Israel, making him the father of the forthcoming Twelve Tribes (15).

JOSEPH

In Genesis 37, we encounter Joseph (16), the favorite son of Israel, for the first time. He is hated by his jealous brothers and they sell him into slavery in Egypt. In chapter 41, God (who works in beautiful and mysterious ways) has Pharoah (17) place the slave Joseph in charge over all of Egypt. In chapter 42, Joseph's brothers travel to Egypt during a famine to purchase grain. They do not recognize Joseph but, in chapter 45, Joseph discloses his identity to them. A reconciliation took place between the siblings and Pharaoh permitted Joseph's family to relocate within Egypt. In Genesis 49, a frail and dying Jacob blesses his sons and prophesies (18) to them what is to happen to them in the days to come. Chapter 50 closes out Genesis with Jacob's body being taken back to Canaan (19) by his sons for burial, as per his desires. Afterward, Joseph's brothers asked for his forgiveness (20) for all the evil they had cast upon him. Joseph told them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” Wow! What an example for all of us to emulate! Amen? Years later, Joseph dies at 110, and he was placed in a coffin in Egypt.

Throughout His children's disappointments and failures recorded in Genesis, God nurtures them with both love and admonishment. Genesis ends as His people are in a foreign land, wondering where this “promised land" (21) was…

COMING UP:  Next up is the Book of Exodus (22)!

+  +  +  +  +  +  +  + +

Footnotes appear below. Consider printing and sharing the offered PDF narrative and other listed resources with family, friends and strangers alike for use in Bible Studies (23), Home and/or Church Faith Sharing Groups (24), Discipleship Encounters (25) and/or Personal Faith Enrichment!

+  +  +  +  +  +  +  + +

Modifications are welcome at goodnews@marionmannaproject.com.

FOOTNOTES:

  (1) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/the-good-news

  (2) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/old-testament

  (3) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/god-has-a-name

  (4) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/the-word-of-the-lord

  (5) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/creation-account

  (6) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/original-sin

  (7) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/noahs-ark

  (8) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/original-sin

  (9) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/disobedience

(10) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/father-of-many-nations

(11) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/obedience

(12) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/isaac

(13) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/angel-of-the-lord

(14) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/jacob

(15) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/twelve-tribes-of-israel

(16) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/joseph

(17) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/pharoah

(18) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/prophets-of-the-bible

(19) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/canaan-1

(20) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/forgiveness

(21) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/promised-land

(22) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/exodus

(23) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/bible-studies

(24) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/christian-education

(25) https://www.marionmannaproject.com/discipleship